Congratulations! That’s a great integrated amp! There are so many amps I’d like to try and Luxman is one of them. By the way, I don’t think there’s such a thing as a poor man’s integrated wrt what you purchased 😀
Finally got a Luxman
So I’ve been at this hobby 35+ years and while I’ve had some good pre/amp tube gear from AR and BAT it’s all been used vintage gear. Good gear nonetheless but old tech (30 years in some cases) and finicky at that age. Though the BAT preamp has never had a hiccup.
Today I got my first new high end integrated amp from Luxman, the poor man’s integrated, the L-505uxII. I’ve always wanted a Luxman, but it’s always been out of my price range until recently.
I’m running it on a pair of Forte IV’s (technically Forte III’s that have the upgrade kit to make them the same as Forte IV’s). Even though it’s got less than an hour on it, it’s blowing me away. The tone is so smooth and it’s way more refined. .
I look forward to the next 100 hours to see how this thing changes.
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I've had the Luxman 590 AXII for 2 years now and love it. I've been through almost every brand and even went separates twice. I have never been happier, lots of features, sound that is tube like without the heat and hassle, I can go on. I am sure there is better then Luxman, but then you would have to get to the $100K+ speaker level to hear the difference in my opinion. It took a good 100 hours to settle in, but sounded great out of the box. Enjoy the music! |
Nice ! I had Klipsch Forte and Cornwall and liked them a lot too. Can the Forte 3 really be upgraded to be exactly the same as the version 4? I didn't think they could be ?
Also, does anyone have experience with buying this exact Luxman amp from the many sellers on Ebay that are selling it for $2700 new in a box and shipping directly from Japan? I assume it needs to run on a converter?
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Yes you can upgrade the forte 3 to forte 4. Just type in forte 3 upgrade kit in google. Well worth the $800 IMO. I think the cheaper units that come from Japan will require a step down transformer, but I’ve also read there is something you can switch on the inside of the unit to switch the voltage as well. But I’m not an expert on this and you need to verify this info. |
@last_lemming I am with you. About a year ago I bought the same Luxman integrated. I wanted to simplify so I sold my Exposure SS gear and my vintage McIntosh tube gear. I find the Luxman to be an improvement over my previous gear. I still get a tube-like quality with my Harbeth speakers, and a more solid bottom end. I find the phono stage to be very good too. Like you I opted for the poor man’s integrated from the Luxman line, but I don’t think we sacrificed much. Enjoy that amp as it breaks in. I think the cosmetics are beautiful as well.
Stuarg |
Yes. The kit is made by Klipsch. The only thing that is different is they changed the speaker cabinet base, otherwise it ends up being the same speaker (the forte IV). Takes about 2 hours to install.
you will need 2 kits: https://paducahhometheater.com/products/forte-3-to-forte-4-upgrade-kit-per-speaker |
Just enjoy the hell out of your Luxman! I’ve owned so many Luxman pieces I really do not remember them all. All were integrated amps except for one receiver, the 1120 A. What a beast! |
